Cass Sculpture Foundation – A Beautiful Disorder

Cass Sculpture Foundation was established in 1992 by Wilfred and Jeannette Cass. Set within 26 acres of West Sussex countryside, the Foundation was conceived as a unique not-for-profit organisation. It is composed of exhibition spaces, an archive, an educational resource and a commissioning body.

Profoundly committed to fostering new, as well as established talent, the organisation commissions as many as 15 works every year. It is consequently home to a constantly evolving display that has included sculptures by Antony Caro, Eduardo Paolozzi, Rachel Whiteread, Tony Cragg, Antony Gormley and Sara Barker amongst others.

This spring, Cass Sculpture Foundation is delighted to present a major exhibition of new outdoor sculptures created by 16 contemporary Chinese artists entitled A Beautiful Disorder.

The 16 monumental outdoor sculptures will be on display throughout the grounds of Cass, and include pieces by artists who have employed a variety of ambitious sculptural techniques across a range of materials such as bronze, stone, steel and wood.

The historical relationship between English and Chinese landscape aesthetics is the starting point and inspiration for these contemporary Chinese and Greater Chinese artists. The title of the exhibition, A Beautiful Disorder, is a quote from an influential letter written by the Jesuit missionary and artist Jean-Denis Attiret in 1743 that had a tremendous effect on English garden culture.

Attiret used the term to describe the ability of the Chinese garden to provoke violent and often opposing sensations in the viewer through a series of theatrical framing devices. The exhibition invites the viewer to reflect on China’s past, present and future relationship with the world at large, and provides valuable insight into the state of Chinese culture, politics and society today from the perspective of some of its most dynamic and engaging artists.

Cass Sculpture Foundation’s executive director, Clare Hindle, says: “To date, Cass Sculpture Foundation has commissioned over 400 words – A Beautiful Disorder is a landmark moment for the Foundation as it is the first time we are commissioning works for a major exhibition by international artists. The exhibition will showcase contemporary Chinese sculpture by some of the leading Chinese artists.”

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